Can You Really Be Bored To Death? The Truth About 8 Famous Health Sayings

These adages are popular for a reason: sometimes, the advice is actually spot on. But other times? Not so much...

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" True? YesIt sounds too simple to be believable, but eating an apple a day does seem to have some specific health benefits. A 2013 study published in the British Medical Journal suggests that prescribing one apple a day to all adults over 50 years old in the UK would prevent or delay 8,500 cardiovascular deaths (like fatal heart attacks or strokes) every year. Researchers concluded that the fruit prescription would have a similar effect to giving statins to adults over 50 who don't already take them. Of course, this isn't to say that you should replace your statins with apples—but biting into the fruit daily sure can't hurt.

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"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" True? Sort ofWhen it comes to choosing a bedtime, you may want to weigh the evidence. In one Australian study, researchers surveyed the sleep habits of more than 2,000 youths and concluded that those who went to sleep late and woke up late were 1.5 times more likely to be obese than those with a less nocturnal schedule. These night owls were also almost three times more likely to log more than the recommended amount of screen time. Plus, a 2013 study published in the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that adults who went to bed after 4:00 am were more likely to gain weight, thanks to all that late-night eating. That said, a Spanish study found that teens who burned the midnight oil were more likely to go on to land prestigious jobs and make more money once they were out of school.

True? YesDramatic teens might be onto something with this phrase. Researchers at University College London found that people who complain of high levels of boredom are roughly twice as likely to die from heart disease or stroke than those who say they enjoy life. The study followed roughly 7,500 people for 25 years, and determined that the ones who complained of high levels of boredom were more likely to have died by the end of the study. And while feeling very bored is probably a side effect of other risk factors, like depression or drug use, this is pretty convincing evidence for picking up a hobby, right?

"Laughter is the best medicine" True? YesAll right, maybe laughter isn't the best medicine, but it is really, really good medicine. A University of Maryland Medical Center study found that people with heart disease were 40% less likely to laugh during different situations—even funny ones—than people with healthy hearts. And researchers at Loma Linda University studies 20 adults in their 60's and 70's: One group sat in silence, while the other watched funny videos. Afterwards, the humor group not only had better memory recall abilities, but their cortisol levels were much lower. Finally, a Vanderbilt University study found that 10 to 15 minutes of laughter per day could burn between 10 and 40 calories. (For reference, about 15 minutes of vacuuming also burns around 40 calories. Doesn't laughing sound more fun?)

"A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down" True? YesIf you're a baby, that is. One meta-analysis of 14 studies and more than 1,500 babies found that giving the kids sugar before administering a shot made them less likely to cry. Total justification for popping some candy before your next physical.

"The belly rules the mind" True? YesThere's a reason scientists call your stomach your "second brain." The gut-brain connection isn't news, but the evidence that your microbiome can control your mind and emotions is compelling—and there's a lot of it. In one study from 2013, researchers found that adding probiotics to yogurt had an affect on the area of the brain that controls emotion, cognition, and sensory feeling. And the newest research on the subject is about fecal transplants—which basically means swallowing a pill filled with someone else's frozen poop to alter your own microbiome. Research has suggested that it can do everything from treat depression to soothe autism symptoms (and more), further solidifying that idea that your stomach really does rule your mind.

"Beer before liquor never been sicker, liquor before beer, you're in the clear"

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True? NoThe main cause of a hangover is drinking too much of anything, plain and simple. Headaches are caused by a combination of dehydration and toxic by-products of alcohol metabolism and other chemicals in booze. And the nausea you feel after over-imbibing? You can thank alcohol for irritating your stomach lining and upping the production of pancreatic and gastric secretions. Sorry to say, but no careful sequencing of beverages will prevent this.

"Feed a cold, starve a fever" True? Sort ofYou definitely want to feed a cold—your immune system needs the nutrition—but you also want to feed a fever. That's because when your temperature is high your metabolism is in overdrive, and you need more calories to help fend of infection. And yes, chicken soup is a good bet for that cold: research shows that the soup inhibits the movement of a certain type of white blood cell that defends against infection, which in turn reduces upper respiratory symptoms.

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